Signs
by PoaTB
Summary: It was a trap carefully laid out for Batman. A trap the Young Justice willingly walked right into with every intention of winning. Meanwhile two of our Young Justices are forced to play detective in order to find an escaped convict. One that is personal to the Dynamic Duo. Will they find him, or will this slithering snake slink away?


Signs  
By PoaTB

 **Rated:** T for language  
 **Genre:** Action/Adventure  
 **Warning:** Minor Spoils Ahoy!  
 **Parings:** None  
 **Set Time:** After Season 1 of Young Justice  
 **Summary:** It was a trap carefully laid out for Batman. A trap the Young Justice willingly walked right into with every intention of winning. Meanwhile two of our Young Justices are forced to play detective in order to find an escaped convict. One that is personal to the Dynamic Duo. Will they find him, or will this slithering snake slink away?  
 **Disclaimer:** I do not own anyone mentioned in the story. They all belong to DC. The story format, however, belongs to me.  
 **Authors Note:** A few changes along the way. The Justice League will be under Savage's mind control for three days instead of 30 odd hours. I forgot if they caught Sportsmaster or not, but in this story he is incarcerated. For Zatanna's ability I'm gonna step it up a notch and have her say the sentence backwards too.

First actual attempt at a story. Wish me luck.

 _Prologue:  
_ **Break**

Three days had passed since Savage's attempt to control the Justice League and the Young Justices had been given time off from their biggest accomplishment yet. While they appreciate it, they also found themselves bored in the lounge. That is, until, their newest member slammed a red box with a red and green text scrawled across the box on the coffee table.

"Apples to Apples," Artemis raised her brow in question.

"I thought we could use little ice breaker in this break," Raquel said as she took her seat. "Everyone LOVES a little card game so I thought this would be fun little group activity."

"I'm game," M'gann smiled and took a seat next to her before asking, "How do you play?"

"It's easy," Robin stated as he took his seat across from M'gann and Raquel and opened the box. Drawing two different colored cards he began to explain the meaning and the rules.

As he explained Wally and Artemis took their seat next to M'gann and Zatanna took hers next to Robin. Kaldur kept listening to the bird explain before deciding a game based on words and references maybe helpful furthering his understanding about the surface world. Conner had mixed feelings.

To him it seemed like a fun game, but it would further point out his lack of knowledge in idioms, humor and other references. He didn't want to make himself a target for their amusement. Wally already does it without mercy and with the reinforced help from Robin. (Although Robin does try to explain after he's had his laugh. Sometimes it makes him feel better. Other times it would infuriate him because he still couldn't grasp the punchline or what they were insinuating.)

"What if you don't have any words that describes the green card," M'gann asked.

"Then you improvise," Robin explained further and placed a random red card down.

Even with Robin's thorough explanation, and Wally's timely input, he still didn't understand. He knew himself well enough at this point to know that if he tried to play and failed to keep up then he will most likely break something.

Silently the Clone got up and made his way to the gym. Better to end the night tired than upset. Even if he was alone for the remainder of the night.

His silent retreat, however, did not go unnoticed by Kaldur. Before the clone left completely Kaldur reached him and asked, "Is everything alright Conner?"

"Yea," he answered.

The Atlantian stayed silent for a moment, allowing time for Conner to elaborate. When he didn't Kaldure asked, "Where are you going?"

Conner shifted his weight when he glanced at the table and then back to Kaldur. "To the gym," he answered plainly. "The game sounded boring. I don't want to take part of it."

Kaldur knew better. The poor Clone was an open book to the Atlantian and he could tell that was a lie. He could tell Conner wanted to be play the game, but he didn't want to be made fun of by anyone. Conner wouldn't even know if they were laughing with him or at him. That alone would have been enough to set him off.

Instead of calling out the lie Kaldur settled on compromising with the clone instead. "You and I could sit a game out and watch. That way we could both gain a better understanding at how it is played."

Kaldur then dared to inch closer to Conner and placed a webbed hand on his shoulder, flashing his usual understanding smile. "This might be one of the few rare opportunity for you to better understand this world a little more. I suggest you take it."

Conner looked at the hand curiously before glancing back once more at the table. M'gann was fumbling over the cards as she continued her little one on one lesson with Robin. ("Not everything has to be literal. It can be completely asinine, so long as it makes sense. Just like what you did right now.") He was reminded that he was not the only one foreign to new things like this. Perhaps Kaldur is right?

Kaldur had applied pressure and Conner automatically moved forward. "No need to end the night alone my friend."

As promised Conner did not play the game but observed. M'gann had offered a team up against the rest, but Conner politely declined, content with watching. The first round went by fast with M'gann the winner followed by Robin and Raquel. Conner set his apprehensions aside and wanted to try. The group was ecstatic to have him participate and quickly dealt him seven cards before he could change his mind.

The second round of Apples to Apples also went by quickly, but the enjoyment and the laughs increased ten folds. Conner didn't win, but he didn't lose as bad as Zatanna did with two green cards in her hands, and she was the queen with words. Or he assumed since her abilities required her to say them all backwards.

The third time they decided to play, they decided to go in groups instead. However they all had an interesting mix up. By drawing names from Zatanna's hat Wally and Conner were paired up, then Artemis, Zatanna, and Raquel, and then Kaldur and M'gann. Robin wanted to play alone, insisting that he would take them all on.

Wally picked up the green card and laid it on the table, as Conner read, "Deafening. Loud, noisy, and boisterous."

The three groups shuffled through their cards and debated with each other as to which one they thought was a good pick. Raquel placed theirs down first followed by Robin and Kaldur. Conner clumsy tried to shuffle the three cards as he saw Artemis expertly did earlier before showing them to Wally. A smile appeared on Wally's faces before he chuckled as Conner laid and read out the first card.

"A Funeral."

"That's not funny," Wally said while laughing. "You people are sick."

Second card did bring a fond smile to Conner's face. "Canary."

Everyone laughed. Even though this was directed towards the songbird everyone's thoughts landed on their residential matron.

The last one Conner fumbled over it, turning it to the left, then right, back left, turning it upside down, then right side up. It was hard for him to read since it was a blank card that anyone could write whatever name, noun, or place. This one was written backwards, letters and the word, with writing that was hard to read and make out.

Conner frowned and leaned to Wally. "I can't read this."

"Here, let me see."

Wally took the card, and rotated it similarly to what Conner did, but quickly. After a couple of seconds, Wally figured out what _name_ Zatanna had spelled and gave her an amused glance. "And finally-"

"Forgive the interruption," Red Tornado announced out of the blue and startled everyone. "Batman would like you all to gather in the mission room in ten minutes. Please be ready for a mission." Just as quickly as he came in, the red android left silently.

"Someone put a bell on him," Raquel voiced as everyone agreed.

Conner was the first to stand and the smile on his face had a dangerous edge to it. Excited at the chance to leave the cave for some action, Conner took large strides towards the stairs to the third floor. Artemis, Wally and Robin placed their share of cards before the three left to their rooms to change out of their civilian clothing. The rest followed Conner to the mission room.

Once they were all in the room, they each speculated as to what missions awaits them. They figured it might be an escort mission for some political figure head. Another possibility was to spy on someone or something. It was hard to tell since all supervillains have fallen into an unnerving silences since the New Year started.

 _ **RECONGIZED BATMAN 02**_

Silence filled the room as everyone's attention turned to the Zeta Tube where Batman now stood. He strode through room quickly, giving a brief greetings to the Justices, and quickly pulled out the blue holographic computer. Soon a second large screen appeared with pictures of four large buildings with a list of faces pinned next to them.

Everyone frowned as they recognized them both and came to the same conclusion. _'Prison Break.'_

"Three days ago you all helped liberate the Justice League from Vandal Savege's control, and three days prior to that everyone in the League was under his control. In between those days we had given clearance for specific state prison to release some of their notorious prisoners.

"Belle Reve, Stryker's Island, Iron Heights, even Arkham Asylum lost a few of its inmates."

"That's not good," Artemis said as her eyes laid on Spotsmaster.

"Wait, they made you give clearance to THESE guys," Wally flabbergasted. "So this isn't a normal prison break… What else did they make you do?"

"That is still under investigation," the Bat frowned.

He was still embarrassed about the whole thing. Things like this should have never happen, especially to the big league. Yet it did, and the youngsters had to break them out. He was proud of them, but that didn't take the sting away from the humiliation they endured in the last three days.

"The Justice League has manage to track eight of the released inmates while the rest is currently being searched for."

"And we are to take in one of these eight," Kaldur mused.

"Not one…" Batman then pulled up a picture of a building lost in time with two mug shots popping out next to it.

"Poison Ivy and Scarecrow had been sighted hiding in Gotham's abandoned Arkham Hospital in Old Gotham. It was later confirm when one of the residences close by manage to tape unusual activity throughout the building."

Batman minimized the pictures before pulling out the footage. It was dark, but one of the windows had light flickering on and off. Shadows would move in one instances, but would disappear before the light show ceased. Then it would stop for a good fifteen minutes before it started again.

The footage then got lighter as the dawn approaches. Two figures walked out, shook hands, chain locked the door, and left.

That caught Robin's attention. There was a history between these two that made this whole thing suspicious. That being Ivy and Scarecrow would never work with each other. The animosity between these two villains rivaled that between Joker and Batman and lasted just as long.

"But Batman-"

"I know," Batman interrupted, a troubled expression fixed on his face. "I didn't believe it at first either, but multiple scan shows it to be Ivy and Scarecrow. Whatever grudge they had, they are putting it aside for a common cause."

Robin held his chin in thought while the rest of his teammates look at the two in puzzlement. They felt out of the loop and Zatanna was about to ask about their history, but Batman answered.

"Years ago, before Crane became Scarecrow, Crane was welcome to study in Seattle where he met Dr. Woodrue. The two became friends and Crane supported Woodrune's experiments, never participating since it wasn't his department but encouraging him to continue.

"When Dr. Isley studied under Woodrue, Crane suggested to use Isley in his experiments."

"And he did use her," Robin inputted. "Which is how we got Poison Ivy. She didn't know Crane was the one who suggested it until she moved to Gotham. When Crane moved back to Gotham, she tried to kill him… And she was the first person he used the fear serum on.

"It had its desired effect, and Crane wanted to see more people scream like her… And that's how we got Scarecrow."

They all stayed in silences as they digested this piece of information.

"So they kept their distance… Or rather Ivy kept her distance, and they vowed to never work with each other, or else they'd kill each other," Raquel summarized.

"In a nutshell, yeah," Robin answered. "What concerns me is that they agreed to meet in Scarecrow's playground."

Batman nodded in agreement. "This is unusual… Even for Ivy."

"So what does that mean for us," Kaldur asked.

Batman didn't say anything at first. He didn't doubt there were traps throughout the hospitals. Between Ivy's hidden constriction vines and Scarecrow's fear gas, they could be in trouble if they didn't know where to look.

The internal turmoil Batman had over sending these young heroes on this mission, knowing what he knows, never settled. There were so many unpredictable factors that he would have rather taken this mission on his own. But this is a trap, tailor made for Batman and possibly for Robin too.

Batman knew it, the League knew it, and even the look Robin gave him told him the Boy Wonder knew it. Even though the young hacker knew, the wide cocky grin on Robin face said, 'challenge accepted.'

"It means there is a possibility you will all walk into a trap."

The team, minus Robin, shuffled. They didn't like the sound of that. "But it's nothing we can't handle, is it?"

"I won't say this is a walk in the park," Batman told the Magician sincerely. "You manage to face Ivy's tree before and take it down. While I have confidence in you all, I still want you to use extreme caution. Especially with Scarecrow's involvement. His fear serum, gas and toxins has no antidote."

"Wait, what do you mean by that," Wally asked, alarmed. "I thought you and Ba- err, Flash developed one."

"For his first series. Crane changed the properties and the dosage. Whatever we make, he will weaken or strengthen few of its compound so that our antidote will be nullified or strengthen the effects."

"So what happens when to us if we are affected," M'gann asked not liking where this was going already.

' _Please tell me it's not what I think it is,'_ Wally pleaded.

Robin frowned as he answered, "You'll have to face your fears."

' _It is.'_ Wally groaned. "I am not looking forward to this again. It took me a week to run again."

"You won't have to worry about that Wally," Batman said, which caught everyone's attention immediately. "You and Conner won't be going on this mission… At least not yet."

" _ **WHAT!?**_ " At Conner's indignation M'gann immediately placed a hand on Conner's arm, which slightly calmed him.

"Why not Bats?"

Before anyone else could voice their opinion, Batman raised a hand. "You two will be on a different mission."

"…Oh."

Everyone stayed silent, interested in hearing what their mission may be. Instead Batman pulled out a second footage, which showed the same hospital with the sun on the other side of the building.

"Three hours ago I was able to tap into the citizen who recorded this. They were still recording the hospital when this happened two hours ago."

He played the video. This time Ivy and Scarecrow showed up at dusk and walked in, together again. Thirty minutes later lights flickering on and off in one part of the building. It continued for five minutes before it stopped for fifteen before starting up again for another three. Then it ended.

"The mission goes: Find out what they are working on, either destroy it if it's too dangerous or confiscate it, and capture our escapee. You are to bring them directly to the G.C.P.D. They will take over from there."

Batman turned to Robin and reached into his utility belt and brought out three translucent vials. He passed it Robin with a look that said, 'You know what to do.' He squeezed his hand before releasing him. Robin raised a brow at that, but held his tongue and put the vials away.

"Should you run into trouble, or if what they have is proven to be more than what you can handle, call them," He pointed at Conner and Wally. "They will be in Gotham too.

"Their apprehension is top priority. Do not let your pride get in the way of that goal." Everyone nodded, determine to not fail. And now they get to hear what Wally and Conner-

"That is all. Dismissed."

"What," Robin asked, astonished.

"But they were briefed into our mission. Can't we be briefed into theirs in case they need us," Artemis asked.

"No, they will not need your help."

Conner gave M'gann a hug and reluctantly let M'gann go as she and the rest of the team made their way to the stairways leading to the hanger. They muttered about the unfairness as to how Wally and Conner got to do a secret mission before doing this one (except Kaldur).

M'gann was the last one to leave, but before she passed the door Batman said, "Your telepathic link had better be off. Otherwise I will remove you from the mission and the team."

Wally was taken aback and Conner tensed and nearly growled. "It's not on," Conner angrily defended with Wally nodding.

The Martian shuttered and involuntarily gulped at Batman's cold tone before confirming, "It was never up to begin with. I swear-"

"Good…"

That was all she needed before she made a hasty exit. She could not help but wondered why Batman needed to threaten her with dismissal or why he had to change his demeanor in such threatening manner. Whatever this mission is, he didn't want anyone else knowing.

"Was that really necessary," Wally asked, the chill from that threat lingered about.

"Yes," Batman sighed. "You will know why."

' _I doubt it,'_ Conner thought angrily, but bit his tongue.

As soon as the room was empty Batman waited for a couple of minutes before motioned them to follow him. They descended back to the third floor, their card game still laid discarded and a mess on top of the coffee table. A small smile graced Wally's lips as he remembered the last choice to the last card played.

Batman hastily ushered them into the library before shutting the doors behind them.

" _Wow, this must be really important to lock us in here,"_ Wally whispered to Conner. Conner said nothing, still angry about what happened earlier, but agreed none the less.

He motioned them all to sit before he reached behind him and pulled out three case files and handed two to the boys. Wally raised a brow before taking it and took a look inside.

A picture of Gotham's State Penitentiary was inside with a mug shot of a well-groomed Caucasian man with slicked black hair at the corner. The name labeled beneath him made Wally drop his smile and any good humor he had was gone in an instant as the cool grim chill trickled up his spine.

' _Oh… Now I know why…'_

"This is-"

"Anthony Zucco." Batman finished. "Three weeks ago it was reported that he had a massive stroke and was announced dead after five minutes resuscitation." He then pulled out his own holographic computer from his glove and brought out a USB.

"So he's dead. This is… good, right?" Conner asked skeptically as he skimmed through the case file. He tried to have tact about this, but he didn't have any other words to describe the situation. "He's a bad man that lived out his time. What else is there?"

"You'll see," Batman said as he finished setting up the video.

It was grainy and the video skipped in frames, but the two teens were able to make out where they were and what was going on. A group of men filed in to the morgue and open the door to one of the bodies. They watched as the man in the body bag sat up, blanket wrapped around him, and got out while they switched him out with a very realistic dummy.

The two boys made an off comment about the authenticity of the dummy since it looked like an exact carbon copy of Zucco. Batman then pulled a picture out from his file and set it on the table for the two to see. The realization that the 'dummy' was in fact real made Wally pale. "Who is he?"

"John Doe."

"…Is that really his name or no one knows?"

"I didn't let them know that the body was switched out," Batman deadpanned. "I'm letting them believe Zucco is dead."

Conner frowned. Knowing that an escaped convict is roaming around freely, while allowing it, seem to be the exact opposite thing Batman would do. He thought the first thing Batman would do is report it to the police and let them go on a man hunt. But he didn't. "Why?"

"I have my reasons Conner," Batman explained before noticing the look on the Clone's face. "…Understand that this isn't something I do under normal circumstances. But this is… Personal."

"Personal enough that you would endanger your own city and not have the local police take care of it," Conner scowled before standing and throwing the case file towards Batman.

"This man's a thug. He's not some supervillain or someone out to gather dangerous chemicals and hold the world ransom. This isn't something I see you passing out to the big league. Why us?"

"I don't have to share that information with you," Batman brusque as he collects the file back, his patients slowly slipping away.

' _Perhaps this was a mistake,'_ Batman thought as his eyes narrowed towards the Clone.

Initially he only wanted the Speedster on this mission since he knew the significance behind this. However he knew that even Wally alone wouldn't be enough to handle this case. He didn't doubt the boy's brilliance, but he is no detective. Scientists, especially at his age, needs someone else to bounce ideas on.

His first choice was Artemis, but she lives in Gotham AND is Wally's girlfriend. It wouldn't be hard for the Archer to put two and two together and figure out Robin's identity. It was something he had wanted to avoid altogether if at all possible.

Kaldur would have been perfect for this case too. Atlantians only use whatever useful information that is provided and not dig too deep behind the reason why anything like this have landed on their lap. He would have been more useful than the Boy of Steel.

Alas he is needed for Ivy. As much as he wanted to pull him off from that mission and have Robin lead, Batman couldn't risk crippling their team by taking their leader and the only guy that can control water and could possibly be immune to whatever Scarecrow could throw at him.

The last person to consider was Conner. M'gann is a mind reader and her emotions could easy get in the way of this case. He didn't need her accidently finding out how this case came to be or why it was important to the Dark Knight. Raquel and Zatanna was still new to this team so he couldn't tell if they were reliable or not.

Conner is reliable, smart, strong, and an outsider. Judging by the way the Speedster and the Clone worked together they would have been able to tackle Zucco's together. What he didn't count on was Conner's untamed anger.

Vague answers does not work well on him like it does for others. Normally when he end's a sentence with 'it's personal' would have been the end of the discussion and they would have continued with the debriefing.

Not with Conner. Instead the boy challenged him, and he internally wished that he would have had Wally work alone instead. That would have been preferable towards what is happening now. It was too late now.

This is a mistake.

Conner's fist gripped the table, trying to control his already peaking anger.

He had been taken off the mission for this? A bogus mission that requires him to apprehend some criminal thug that's not even worth his time? Did Batman believed that he would have botched the mission to catch Ivy and Scarecrow that he would be placed in a more _tamed_ mission?

He was itching to break something, and the suffocating silence was not doing anything to suppress the urge.

Wally, who had been surprisingly quiet throughout their exchange, noticed the indents around Conner's grip. He could feel Conner's anger radiating off him in waves and it looked like the table will be the first casualty between the Clone and the Bat.

Quickly Wally glanced back at Batman and the focused stare he was giving to Conner told him that he didn't care if the Clone did anything rash. He was staying tight lip.

The Speedster understood why this had to be a secret, but at the same time he understood Conner's frustration. If Wally didn't know anything about this, he too would have been mad at the Bat at this. But he did know, and he knew they need to have Conner's trust for this to be successful.

Before Wally had the time to think about what to say, he blurred out, "It's about Robin."

Batman and Conner froze at that.

Wally could feel his heart skip beats as the face of fear reared his ugly head towards him, a silent warning broadcasting through his lenses. He knows all too well what that look means: 'I will show you the meaning of _**FEAR**_.'

Kid Mouth didn't know a look of betrayal and fury could look this terrifying. The grinding of Batman's teeth could have be audible if the acceleration of his own heartbeats wasn't pounding in Wally's ears.

Instantly Conner felt an odd feeling blossom in his chest when Wally said that. This is about Robin; his friend. Is someone out to hurt Robin? Did this person hurt Robin? What happen? Why the secrets?

This was a good opportunity to learn more about his bird friend, but did this situation call for it? Probably not, but he was too angry and the idea that this person could potentially hurt Robin did nothing to sooth his anger. He wanted-

No… He needed to know.

Conner was not intimidated by the Bat, nor was he amused by the silence that followed the Speedster's outburst. The lack of answers annoyed him greatly and he knew that he had to pull some teeth to get them.

Unfazed by Batman's heated glare towards the loud mouth, he turns to Wally and demanded an answer. "Tell me."

"Not, another word," Batman warned.

"But-"

"Not. Another. Word. _**Wally.**_ "

"Either he tells me, or I ask Robin." Conner challenged, returning Batman's glare with equal ferocity. (Or as close as he possibly could.)

Wally inhaled quickly and held his breath. If temperature around these two could drop any faster, Wally would be a meat popsicle in its wake. Hell, the poor boy couldn't suppress the shivers that crept up his spine.

The uncomfortable silence between the three continued for a good minute. All the while Wally gathered the courage to speak and reasoned with the Bat.

"Batman, trust me on this," Wally pleaded. "If he's going to work on this with me he needs to know why it's important to keep this under the table and away from the others. I think it's best to tell him Robin's story."

"That was not for you to decide," Batman gruff.

"I know!" Wally nearly growled before he composed himself, sighing. "I know… I know, it's not a story for either of us to tell him. I'm sorry… Really, I am. But right now we need him for this. Please Batman, I trust Conner with this."

Wally then gave him a pleading look: 'Please trust me.' This was his last chance to get through to the man in the cowl.

Batman let a low growl escape before he took a meditative breath and calmed himself. It was too late to take back anything or for damage control. Batman was not use to letting control slip by like this. Everything was now left to Wally.

In his anger, he missed how the furious look Conner had morphed into something more tamed, more… protective. As if he was ready to hunt Zucco and make him pay dearly. He had seen that look when someone had tried to hurt M'gann. It's not as intense, but the message was clear: 'No one hurts my friends and gets away with it.'

Perhaps this isn't a mistake.

Batman let out a sigh before nodding to Wally. "Fine," he surrendered.

Wally sat down immediately, letting out the breath he's been holding. If he could laugh, he would. He actually stood up to the Dark Knight and _won_. However…

What was he going to say? He can't tell Conner the truth, but he owes him a story. The speedster couldn't lie to his friends, but telling would be a breach of trust. Batman already had a look that said that he was expected to tell the truth. Maybe it would be okay?

The Clone was looking at him expectantly and focused on him. Conner didn't trust Batman to tell him the truth, and they know it.

"Where to start," Wolly joked.

"The beginning is usually nice," Conner said.

Wally let out a nervous chuckle and nodded. He had decided what to do, and even though it messes with his moral code he had to do it. There was no other choice.

He lied.

"It happened four years ago. Robin was with his parents when they were celebrating his birthday. They were heading home when they were caught in the crossfire between Zucco and his latest hit. Robin manage to hide, but…"

He risked a glance at Batman and but his face and posture betrayed nothing. He was still as a statue, and Wally hoped that Batman wasn't too angry about this.

"They were taken to the hospital, but they didn't make it. They didn't catch Zucco and Robin became an orphan. Inspired by Batman, Robin left the orphanage to look for Zucco and bring him to justice. That's how Batman found him. He was surrounded, with nothing but his acrobatic skills he learned at the gym to assist him.

"Batman intervened in time before it went any further and… Well… He got a happy ending. Zucco is in jail-… Was in jail… Robin was adopted and his parents agreed to have Batman mentor him. The rest is history."

So he mixed a bit of the truth in, but it had to be believable. That did nothing, however, to settle the rising guilt in the pit of his stomach. Wally hated to be lied to as well as lying. It never got him anywhere in the past so To lie to one of his closest friend about his best friend was unpleasant, but necessary.

Conner milled on this information. His anger dissipated as he got a better grasp at the situation. The feeling in his chest flared, just like it would whenever he saw his teammates hurt or when someone tried to exploit M'gann's weakness to fire.

He still couldn't put a name to it, but he could ask M'gann about it later. Right now, he wants to hurt this man. He hurt Robin in the worst way possible, what's to say he won't do it again? But…

"Why not include Robin? Doesn't he deserve to know?"

"It's not that he doesn't deserve to know Conner," Wally explained. "It's what happens to Robin if he does finds out? He went after Zucco ill equipped, surrounded, and alone. If Batman wasn't there to pull him back he would have died. How do we know it won't happen again? I can't-"

Wally choked at the end of his sentence, but Conner knew what he was going to say: 'I can't lose my best friend.'

The Clone shook his head sadly. To Conner he didn't see Robin as someone who is vulnerable or fragile in the face of adversity. He had gone toe to toe with the Boy Wonder and, even though he wouldn't admit it out loud, had lost a few matches against the shrimp.

He had seen Robin dodge bullets, take beatings, and _fly_. No, Robin isn't a fragile. So why are they treating him like he is made of glass?

"I think you are underestimating him. I don't think we should keep this from him."

"It's the only way to protect him," Batman finally said, any reserved anger he previously had slipped away.

Conner wasn't buying it. He had a feeling that there was something else in this story that they were not telling him. That same feeling he had told him that neither Batman nor Wally would be willing to give up any more than they told him.

"I still have questions: Why aren't you on the case? Why us?"

"I don't want Robin knowing about this." Batman said. "It's the very reason why this case is on paper and not on a hard drive in the bat cave. Which is why I am entrusting this case to the both of you."

Another somewhat acceptable answer from the Bat, but that brought up one last question.

"Why me? I understand why you choose Wally. He and Robin are best friends, but what about me? Aside from him playing a part in my escape from Cadmus, and helping me understand the world better, Robin and I don't have a real strong connection."

Batman placed both hands on the table and the white of his cowl focused on Conner.

"I have seen you. The way you protect your teammates, cover their backs, and would relentlessly go on the offensive so all attacks would be focused on you. I watched how you try your best to protect everyone against anyone that would try to hurt or exploit them to their weakness.

"I saw how you placed yourself between him and Superman when Superman tried to lobotomize him. I saw you give him the OK to use kryptonite even at the expense of your health. You have earned more than my respect in this. My trust…"

He stopped abruptly, stood back up and turned away, Batman's emotions soon becoming the best of him. Zucco had already taken everything away from Robin. He was afraid. Afraid that Zucco might take Robin from him.

And now he was relying on these two boys to do something for him that he would never ask anyone else. They protected him before, they could do it again.

His voice changed completely as he said, "Please… Protect him from this."

Wally gapped. He knew that voice. It's a voice that was never used around the Justice League under any circumstances. That was Bruce Wayne asking the clone of Superman to protect his son. Conner didn't know who that voice represents but he could fell the vulnerability in that plea. It reinforced the feeling he had developed for their residential hacker in this debriefing.

Conner and Wally looked at each other and nodded in mutual agreement before Wally asked, "Do you have a lead?"

(A/N: And so it begins. **I could use a Beta.** That'd be greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeat… Don't expect the update to be weekly or bi-weekly. I just started school today so I won't have the chance to write often. Thank you for your support. Complements are great, but critiques are AMAZING! Anything to improve story format and story immersion.)


End file.
